In what could be a major breakthrough, Dr. A Seema, an Indian scientist, along with her six-member team developed a low-cost brassiere that can detect breast cancer. She invented it on March 8, International Women’s Day.
In India, the detection of breast cancer is pretty expensive. A typical mammogram screening costs somewhere around Rs. 8,000. Moreover, physicians suggest screening for only women above 50 years of age. These factors inspired Dr. Seema and her team to do something.
The team revealed that the idea of inventing a cost-effective portable device to detect breast cancer struck in 2014 when the director of Malabar Cancer Centre, Kannur, Kerala visited the team.
She said, “They broached the idea of working out ways of breast cancer detection on a community scale. The mammogram was the golden standard but the provision wasn’t available in even Primary Health Centers across the country.”
Since 2014, the team worked hard to start making the product. It was tested on more than 110 patients at Malabar Cancer Centre and 200 volunteers.
The life-saving brassiere has sensors that can detect any abnormalities in breasts.
Dr. Seema said, “This can then form the basis for patients to take further course of action.”
She explained that the brassiere does not emit any type of radiation. She also explained that while a mammogram is painful, this brassiere is safe and comfortable. “The device is portable which makes it perfect for any health care or ASHA worker to carry with them during field visits,” said the Indian scientist.
The brassiere also looks after privacy concerns, unlike a mammogram screening where a woman is not allowed to wear anything.
Dr. Seema explained, “Even girls as young as 15 or 20 years of age can use the wearable device which caters to all body types. This is not possible in the case with the mammogram, as only women above 40 can undertake the screening.”
She explained that a digital mammogram machine might cost Rs. 3.5 crore, while their device is much, much cheaper. The brassiere is divided into a wearable unit, data acquisition system, and the software. The scientist said, “The wearable device alone would cost between Rs. 400-500 and these are our lab estimates.” She promised that once the product gets commercialized, the testing would cost around Rs. 50.
Earlier, a Mexican teenager invented a similar brassiere and won accolades from around the world.
Julián Ríos Cantú, an 18-year-old entrepreneur, got the idea after his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when he was 13. Along with his three friends, Julián invented the “EVA bra” that detects the disease in early stages. The EVA bra contains 200 bio-sensors, which can detect breast cancer even if a woman wears it just for an hour every week. The brassiere monitors changes in temperature, weight, and shape of the breasts. Women can see the changes on a desktop or mobile app.
